Of Nightmares
by angelfromyournightmare
Summary: Hermione learns of McGonagall's past. Please Read & Review! after reloading it i lost all of them WAHHH! Chp.6 Redone, makes sense now! lol
1. Of Nightmares

Disclaimer- I, sadly am a stupid freshman and not richer than the queen as j.k. Rowling is…so therefore I am not her and not getting any monetary gain from this errrrr…thing.

Chapter 1: Of Nightmares, Fears, and Memories

"NO …DON'T!"

Most of the 7th year boys had been finding better things to do at night than rest, what with somehow acquiring girlfriends, so only Ron and Harry were in the dormitory that stormy night. Harry's incoherent yells had awoken Ron, which was quite a feat considering Ron slept like the dead. Ron scrambled around, looking for his watch, 11:23 P.M. He climbed out of his comfy bed and shook Harry trying to wake him. It wasn't going to happen.

Ron headed towards Hermione's room, which she had to herself, perk of being head girl. He knew she would know what to do. He knocked on the door, waking Hermione who was a light sleeper.

Harry's dreams had been and were becoming progressively worse. His two friends had already confronted him about them, telling him he should tell Dumbledore. But no, these nightmares were not of the same nature as those linked to Voldemort. However, these were just as unwelcome. These were of fears and memories. These were not linked to Voldemort by Harry's scar, but they had everything to do with the presence of lord of darkness in the wizarding world.

Hermione got up and opened the door to a disheveled redhead. "Harry woke me up again, Hermione, I can't bear this…I need sleep," Ron pleaded, stifling a yawn. "Ok, go get Harry's invisibility cloak for me," Hermione replied, sighing, "I'll go get some dreamless sleep potion." "I'm going too," Ron said, already heading back towards the boys' dorms.

He returned, the cloak draped over his arms making him appear crippled. "You can't go, it will take too long, and the sooner we have the potion the sooner you can go to sleep," Hermione said in reply to his statement before fetching the cloak. Ron agreed, welcoming the thought of sleep.

Hermione headed towards the corridor on her mission and found herself facing a tabby cat prowling the halls. Hermione froze while her mind started whirring as to how she was going to get herself out of this. Unfortunately, all that whirring must have caused her wand to fall out of the hole in her pocket and fall to the floor where it clattered with a deafening sound in the silent corridor, attracting the tabby's attention and spelling Hermione's doom in capital letters.

Hermione, knowing what was inevitable, took off the cloak and grabbed her wand off the floor. She then turned to where the tabby had been to see Professor McGonagall, looking livid.

"Hello Professor," Hermione smiled, feigning innocence hoping to soften the repercussions, knowing it was useless.

"What are you doing wandering the corridors at a quarter of an hour till midnight Ms. Granger?" McGonagal asked, giving Hermione the infamous stern glare.

"Uh…I couldn't sleep," Hermione replied sheepishly. She hated lying, especially to those she respected, but she knew if she were to tell the truth she would be in deep shit with both Harry and the rulebook.

"Well Ms. Granger, it is not allowed to wander about the school at this hour so you are to report to my classroom tomorrow at 7 o'clock after dinner to serve your detention."

"Yes Professor McGonagall," Hermione headed back towards Gryffindor tower. She then circled the castle taking the long way to the hospital wing and once reaching the destination "borrowed" a large amount of the sought after potion.

"Hermione I'm really sorry about this. You take the blow for all the crap I get us into and I…I'm sorry," Harry finished lamely. They were at dinner amongst the merry Gryffindors, for it was Friday, which meant someone would feel the need to go to the kitchens to grab munchies and start a party in the common room. "At least it's McGonagall, she won't go to hard on you," Ron said remembering detentions served with Filch and Harry's misadventures with Umbridge. "Really guys, it's no big deal," Hermione said getting up, " See you guys later."

Hermoine entered the Transfigurations classroom to find the professor absent. The door to her office was open so Hermione stepped into the room thinking that perhaps McGonagal was inside.

No such luck. Hermione turned around to go back to the classroom and wait for McGonagal to return when she noticed a silvery light coming from a closet. She opened the door and saw a stone basin with smoky wisps swirling in its depths. Hermione recognized it as a pensive; she had read about them in Hogwarts a History, which said that all teachers were required to keep one.

She took a step closer, she knew she shouldn't, but apprehension was losing the battle with curiosity. She leaned over to find the swirling mist replaced by a rather disturbing scene that was totally blurred, but enough could be seen for Hermione to make out the situation.

A woman with her dark hair matted with dried blood wearing an emerald nightie was chained to a bed by devil's snare. She was bloody, bruised, and unconscious. Her eyes snapped open and she took in her surroundings, struggling against that which bound her.

"Don't bother Minerva darling, they'll just tighten," a male voice rose from the shadows of the room as Minerva grimaced at the tightening around her wrists and ankles, "And don't try your animagus form, we've already taken care of that."

AN: So what do you think? Please review and let me know! Go on, press the pretty purple button…you know you want to!

angelfromyournightmare


	2. Oh God!

AN: YAY! Second chapter up! Thanks for all the reviews. I tried to space and paragraph it better this time. This is my first fanfic, I lurv nice reviews, but please review and give whatever criticism you want. Thanks!

WARNING: this chapter is what the PG-13 rating is for though it is very toned down and I tried to have minimal swearing. And don't mind the numerous oh Gods in the story, bad habits die hard, and show through in my writing.

Chapter 2: Oh God!

Hermione jumped, freaked out by the realization of who the woman was and what she thought was going to happen…. A lock of her bushy hair fell from her shoulder into the pensive. Hermione screamed as the pensive pulled her in by her hair (ouch!).

The man stepped out of the shadows towards Minerva, causing the floorboards to groan as if they were in pain. Hermione looked up at him from her position on the floor, she was too stunned to stand. She couldn't see his face; everything was blurred. "Why the hell is everything so hazy damnit?" Hermione wondered, it was pissing her off.

The man started taking off his clothes. "Oh God," Hermione thought, this was nasty, and getting grosser by the second. Hermione wrinkled her face; she did not want to see this sexual fantasy or whatever the hell was going on.

"Don't you dare touch me you…" Minerva started screaming obscenities at the man. " SHUT UP! You stupid woman!" the man yelled and punched Minerva on her left cheekbone, knocking her out cold. Hermione heard fabric ripping.

"Oh My God! How the hell do I get out of here!?!" Hermione screamed and started beating on the wall, then the scene faded into darkness. Sadly, she had no idea how pensives worked. "No, I want out of this!" Hermione yelled at the darkness. She hadn't been expecting voices to shout back…there was more than just one rapist, Hermione realized as she heard other men jeering, like they were watching the super bowl and getting drunk with their buddies. Hermione felt her stomach flop and wondered if she threw up maybe the pensive would let her out.

Minerva's face was streaked with tears and more were rolling out of her blackened eyes. The blood from her lower lip, which she had bitten through, was rolling down her face and dripping onto the pillow along with her tears. She kept her eyes shut. She already knew the men had been switching.

Hermione shut her eyes, covered her ears and started screaming to fully block the voices and snippets of scene.

Minerva quickened her pace; she was twenty minutes late to a detention with a student, not good. That idiot woman Sybil Trelawney, trying to foretell Minerva's death, God the woman annoyed her. And then she found Argus Filch about to hang the Creevey brothers for dripping snow down the hall and she had to play peacemaker, thank God winter break was only a few days…not that she didn't love her job and her students, but she needed a break….

Minerva went inside her room, her office door was open, she never left it open. She went inside to find the culprit, who was not to be found in Minerva's office. She scanned the room; next to the closet door was a black messenger bag with ribbons and S.P.E.W badges decorating it. The crack under the closet door suddenly shone with light, and then it was gone. Minerva whipped her wand out of her robes and opened the closet. "Oh God!" Minerva thought seeing the pensive, the messenger bag, and piecing the two together. She put her hand into the darkness of the pensive to be sucked in.

The darkness in the pensive abruptly changed to show a fiery inferno blazing the room to charcoal. Minerva found Hermione sitting on the floor with her knees tucked to her body, her eyes shut tight and her hands covering her ears, rocking back and forth, shaking in hysterics. "Oh dear," Minerva grabbed the girl's arm and willed herself and Hermione out of the pensive.

Hermione felt the hand on her arm and the sudden drop in temperature, she opened her eyes, dropped her hands and stopped screaming. She was back in the closet, outside of the pensive. Professor McGonagall had her hand still on Hermione's arm and was facing her with a grim expression. "Oh shit," Hermione thought as she swayed, the full meaning of what she had witnessed, not to mention the neck high trouble she was in, hit her stomach like a brick. Hermione ran out of the closet pushing past McGonagall to the opposite side of the office into what she hoped was the restroom, and threw up…fortunately, Hermione had guessed right and made it to the toilet.

Minerva sat down at her desk and took a tin of altoids and a Honeyduke's chocolate bunny from three Easters ago out of one of her desk's numerous drawers. Hermione came out of the restroom and looked at Minerva and the waterworks started up again in full force.

" I'm sorry Professor, sob, I didn't think, sob, I, sniffle, didn't…" Hermione cried, sobbing at her Transfigurations Professor. Hermione wasn't able to choke out the rest of her didn'ts, not only because she was at a loss for words, but Minerva had cut her off, shushing her and handing her an altoid, which Hermione put to good use. Hermione noticed the look on her Professor's face, she'd never ever seen it in the seven years she had known the woman; she looked lost.

"I'm sorry," Hermione whispered and hugged her Professor. Minerva hugged her back as she felt the single tear fall down the curve of her cheek and into Hemione's hair.

AN: please review! I don't know when I'll update next and it will probably be sporadic but I'll try my best to update once or twice a week. Now… click the purple button!


	3. Beautiful

Disclaimer- I forgot one of these the last chapter, oops, oh well. Any ways I don't own any of this except maybe the plot but I'm not even sure about that.

AN: Thanks for the reviews(: oh, and if you don't know, punnett squares are graph thingies used to determine the possible genetic outcomes of offspring and their probability. Okay I probably spelled punnett wrong and my explanation made little to no sense, but two blue-eyed people can't have a brown-eyed kid, and since I can't explain biology and health if my life depended on it, you're just going to have to take my word for it on the whole eye-color thingy, Ok! Whew! Enjoy!

Chapter 3: Beautiful

"No Hermione, I'm sorry," Minerva said, she kissed Hermione's forehead and broke the embrace.

"Huh?" Hermione was dumbfounded, what was going on here?

"Ok, well your parents have told you that you're adopted, right?" Minerva asked.

"Yeah, ages ago, when I was about ten I learned about punett squares and figured that I was genetically impossible since both my parents have blue eyes and mine are brown. I asked them about it and they told me. Why?" Hermione recounted the story still lost as to the point of her characteristically blunt Professor.

Minerva took a deep breath and let it out. "Well, about two months after that happened," Hermione fully understood the "that" that her teacher was referring to, "I found out I was pregnant."

(18 years ago… give or take a few months)

"I'm sorry Minerva," Poppy, looking down at her feet, told Minerva. She didn't voice the results, she didn't need to.

"Thank You Poppy," Minerva said, staring straight ahead, swallowing the lump in her throat.

Madame Pomfrey left, she knew broken bones and bruises, not this, which left Minerva to battle with her emotions.

The women felt the tears they had been fighting trickle out.

(July of that year)

" I won't let that happen to mine," Minerva thought protectively placing her hand on her stomach as she left the street of the Dursley household. Those people were horrible. God, she didn't know what unknown horrors awaited Harry Potter, the boy who lived, and frankly she did not want to know. No, she would not let that happen to hers. She had research to do.

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(7 months later)

Minerva stared down at her daughter, the baby's beautiful brown eyes gazing up into her own. She kissed the baby's forehead, tears trickled down her face and landed on the baby girl causing the infant to start crying for the first time. She knew she couldn't keep her, and had been readying herself for that, oh if the Death Eaters found out… but it hurt just the same, having to give her up.

"What are you going to name her?" Poppy asked, watching the new mother and her child.

"Hermione," Minerva said, smiling down at her baby and reminiscing, "It was my grandmother's name."

Poppy went to her office to record the birth and send the record off to the hospital. Minerva spent the thirty minutes acquainting herself with her child, who tugged and played with the strands of Minerva's hair that had come loose.

"So…have you decided?" Poppy questioned, having returned from her work.

"Yes, I picked the Grangers, a muggle family that can't have kids," Minerva replied, she still hadn't broken eye contact with her daughter.

"A muggle family?" Poppy questioned.

"Yes, I want her to be happy as far away from this You-Know-Who nonsense as possible," Minerva said.

"But what about when she comes to Hogwarts?" Poppy asked.

"I don't know"

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(About a week or so later)

Minerva laid the basket on the porch and kissed the sleeping child's forehead. She then went behind the spirea bushes adorning the house and became the tabby, where she waited for the Grangers to open the door.

Herbert Granger sipped coffee from a yellow mug with a happy face on it that said, "Have a nice day!," and opened the door to get the paper.

"Uh, Lisa?" Herbert motioned for his wife to come. "What? Can't you grab the paper yourself, the eggs are going to burn," Lisa Granger went to the door. "Oh my God!" Lisa scooped up the child.

"Hey look," Herbert noticed the letter that Minerva had written and untied it from the handle of the basket and read it out loud to his wife. It told them that the baby's name was Hermione and the child's birthday, and to take good care of her.

The baby woke up and Lisa let out a small oh of surprise. "Umm, dear?" Herbert said to his wife, dropping his right hand that held the letter to his side. "Isn't she beautiful?" Lisa whispered to her husband. "Of course she is, but dear I think the eggs are burning," Lisa gave the infant to her husband, who immediately started playing with the baby, and Lisa ran inside to try to salvage breakfast.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

(Back to the future!…meaning present…. I just wanted to say that)

"So…so you're my mother?" Hermione said, grasping what McGonagall was saying. Minerva nodded her head. "And…and my…my father's some Death Eater?" Minerva nodded again. They sat in silence for a while, nibbling at the chocolate.

"So…" Minerva braced herself, fearing the girl would be enraged, " Why… why didn't you tell me before?" Hermione asked, no anger present in her voice, only curiosity and apprehension.

"I…I don't know…I wanted to, I really did, but I couldn't," Minerva replied.

Hermione asked some questions after that, which Minerva answered. The memories in the pensive were blurry because Minerva had lost her glasses and could barely see without them. She had gotten out of the place once whatever they had done ,a potion or spell, wore off and she used uncontrolled magic and burned the whole place down.

"Why…did they go after you?" Hermione asked.

"……." She was met with silence from her Professor, uhhh mother, uhh oh whatever!

"Hey, look at the time, I'd better be going now," Hermione said, noting the change in her mentor's demeanor and the long paused lack of reply. She looked at her wrist and realized she had left her watch in her room.

"Goodnight Hermione," Minerva whispered.

"Goodnight," Hermione hugged Minerva and headed off towards Gryffindor tower.

AN: YAY! Another chapter done! This one's a tad bit longer than the others… It jumped around a bit and the next chapters might be a little like that, haven't decided yet, along with ships, whether or not this will have any, and if so what they will be, hmmmm……… Please review(:


	4. Euphoria

AN: A big thank you! To all reviewers(:

To Cirean: thanks for the vote of confidence, it's greatly appreciated! I'm glad you and others have been following the story and reviewing(:

oh, and actually I got my username from the beginning of the "I Miss You" song by Blink-182.(yeah I know their kinda blah, but I like their new cd ok)

Chapter 4: Euphoria

Bella smiled as monochrome smoke unfurled from the tip of His wand and changed into two pale blue lines. Yes, the Dark Lord's allegedly sterile whore was carrying the true heir of darkness.

Her Lord had tried before, on that saint of the pompous recruits of His opposition. Bellatrix had felt the green monster known as jealousy surge through her veins with hatred towards the object of her Lord's desire when she had learned of His captivation and preparations with one other than herself. Bella knew of her Lord's infatuation with that woman, and Bella was quite sure as to the reason why, though she could not conceive as to why the Dark Lord could be so allured to a woman like Minerva McGonagall.

During the Dark Lord's schooling, he could have had anyone he wanted. And then, during His last year, He had met the head girl. He became obsessed with her, but she, who should have been grateful and done anything and everything he asked, as most girls would, did not. The Dark Lord had ever since always had a certain…fascination with Minerva. For He could not have her. And every boy wanted what they could not have. Of course, her Lord was not a boy, but his origins were of a male mortal.

And so, He had soon risen to power and became the Dark Lord. A God to the supernatural kind, ridding the race of all its impurities. Yet still, an heir to the throne of darkness was needed…a messiah was needed, and who better to save the wizarding race, than the Lord and his offspring? And since a messiah was needed, who better to carry the prodigy than the Lord's obsession?

So, arrangements were made, but most could only be left to chance. Many a wizard had tried to concoct a potion or charm to increase the probability of male offspring, but Mother Nature is not one a mere pureblood can toy with.

However, the bitch had produced a girl, and a girl could not be the heir to the Lord. No, He would not have that. So, Minerva had been discarded, like an old and used toy. The bitch had lowered their numbers of course when she had escaped, but none were of true importance.

But, none of that mattered now, the Dark Lord's mistress thought, glowing with pride at causing her Master's euphoria.

AN: Ok this chapter was a bit twisted but its interesting, eh? I've always thought of the Death Eaters being very cult-like and viewing Voldemort as a god or something and since this was more of Bellatrix Lestrange's point of view I tried to convey that. Well I hope you liked it! Please Review!


	5. Peculiar

Disclaimer- I don't own this whole story ok, now it's no biggie if I forget this stupid thingy in the other chapters, kapeesh?

AN: I've just realized I've been spelling pensieve wrong this whole time.sigh oh well. Gracias! To reviewers. That's Spanish for thanks and about all the Spanish I can speak, woohoo. (sarcasm there, considering my Spanish class grade which is going to drop tomorrow cuz an uber test)

In case you didn't understand the last chapter you might want to reread it. It has some very important to the story elements hidden in it. (ok so I'm proud of that one, though few have reviewed it. Tsk tsk tsk. Lol j/k)

Ok here's you a summary so far…..

Chp1: Harry has nightmares, Hermione gets detention with Mcgonagall.

Chp2: Hermione has a look see in McGonagall's pensieve, disturbing content.

Chp3: McGonagall tells Hermione they are Mother and Daughter.

Chp4: Bellatrix is carrying Voldemort's son. Much is implied.

Hmm…. I really suck at summaries.

To Raven: blue eyes are a recessive trait and are always recessive, so 2 parents with blue eyes cannot have a brown eyed kid. So, if someone's genes have dominant brown and recessive blue, their eyes would be brown. What might be confusing you are green eyes and hazel eyes, those are variations of brown (I think). If I've just confused you more ask your biology or health professor at school or someone who knows their stuff about genetics and punnett squares and such. (I'm spelling punnett wrong probably) Hope I helped.

Chapter 5: Peculiar

"Oh screw it," Harry sighed, losing his second game of wizard's chess to Ron that night. Cripes, where the heck was Hermione it was past midnight already and most of the Gryffindors had gone to bed, leaving only Harry, Ron, a few straggling fifth years, and Luna, though Harry wasn't positive she counted, being as though she had fallen asleep in one of the poofy armchairs that was pushed aside so as to make room for the party that had died out about an hour before. Harry and Ron had dragged two chairs and an end table over next to the dying fire and had set up the board, which they played awaiting to hear from Hermione.

"Well, seeing as I have kicked your arse, again, I shall be heading off to bed," Ron gloated to Harry, making a parade of himself and gathering up his sleeping girlfriend.

"Go to Hell Ron," Harry replied, half-heartedly engaging in the playful game of insulting each other.

"Will do. Tell Hermione I said hello," Ron yawned and climbed out the portrait to carry Luna back to her room.

Harry sighed, now bored out of his mind with only a softly ticking grandfather for company, the fifth years had exited the common room a few minutes ago. Harry pulled a Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes trinket out from his pocket. The troublesome double act of pranksters had finally set up shop, spreading the glory of pranking to all. They would always send Harry, Ron, and Ginny their latest inventions which was great if one was experienced with the Gred and Forge inventions. Ron had tried a Skiving Snackbox that hadn't quite had all the kinks worked out of it and had ended up in the hospital wing for a week. No, after that they had all learned from Ron's mistake and treated the Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes packages with much more precaution.

The whirring trinket fell to the floor as Harry drifted off to dreamland…..

"Good boy!" Harry said as the bear-like black dog brought him back a stick. The dog jumped up and licked Harry's face, tail wagging in ecstasy…

The dream flickered out, as though someone had changed the channel on the TV. and Harry did not like this channel as it caused his head to burst with pain. Harry opened his eyes and clutched his forehead just as the portrait opened letting in a ragged looking Hermione.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked.

"He's happy," Harry choked out, he felt his forehead throbbing under his sweaty palm that was clasping his scar.

"Oh," Hermione said in surprise, Harry noticed her eyes were bloodshot.

"Hermione what happened?" Harry asked, noting Hermione's state, luckily the pain was slowly starting to recede so he was able to think and speak clearly.

"McGonagall…didn't go psycho on you or something…did she?" Harry asked, concern ringing the syllables of his question.

"What," Hermione asked, for she had drifted into a reverie.

Harry got up so he could face her. "Hermione, what's wrong?" he asked, looking into her eyes.

Hermione pulled him into an embrace, "Don't worry Harry," she whispered into his ear, Harry curled his arms around her, his senses in overdrive, "Goodnight," she broke the embrace and headed off to her room.

Harry stood rooted to the spot, a peculiar expression etched onto his face.

AN: YAY! Another chappie! Review! Pretty please! Its that purple-ish button off to your screen's left side, see it…. Now review, flame, ANYTHING!!!!! Oh but don't flame me saying Luna's in Ravenclaw what's she doing in Gryffindor common room. Ron's dating her so if he brings her in nobody's gonna care. Well, Percy would but he's not in this.

Has anybody noticed my chapters are getting shorter and my AN's are getting longer….hmmm, sorry about that but the story will start getting better and picking up speed in the next couple of chapters. ; )


	6. In the Foyer

disclaimer-nope, not mine.

AN: big thanks to all reviewers! I realized I had left a tiny part out of this chapter after I posted it which probably confused those who read it but its better now.

Chapter 6: In the Foyer

Monday came and Hermione was…well, honestly she didn't know what she was. Not only did she not know where she stood emotionally, but her whole existence was an intricately weaved web of lies. She had not yet told either Ron nor Harry and was becoming reclusive, for fear they would be grossed out...or worse.

Hermione sat in the transfigurations classroom while McGonagall lectured the class about "_Minuo Minui Minutum"_ which is used to shrink solid objects to dollhouse size. Hermione stared at the Professor as she spoke, searching for any indication the she was related to Minerva.

"What is the proper intonation of this reduction spell Ms. Granger?" McGonagall asked.

"Wha- what was the question?" Hermione asked, for her eyes had glazed over and her mind was elsewhere.

"Five points from Gryffindor for your lack of attention Ms. Granger." Mcgonagall said and continued the lesson.

The trio proceeded to lunch after the lesson, the two boys somewhat puzzled by Hermoine's unusual behavoir.

"It's ok you have to go home for the holidays Hermione, have fun erm, baking cookies, or whatever," Harry said, trying to be pleasant after Hermione had profusely apologized for having to go home for Christmas.

"Come on Herbert!" Lisa Granger yelled upstairs to her husband. They needed to get a move on if they were going to meet their daughter on time. "I'm coming, hold your horses woman! Sheesh!" Herbert headed down the stairs wrestling with his tie and crookedly parting his peppered blonde hair simultaneously. Herbert loved his wife but her obsessive punctuality was damn annoying, all the clocks in the house were ten minutes ahead for Christ's sake! Herbert stood in the foyer while his wife fussed over his navy tie.

Lucius Malfoy apparated in front of 56 Loomer Court. He had no idea why the dark lord wanted this muggle family dead and hadn't dared question him. He remembered what the dark lord had done to McCormick when he had questioned him over something, Lucius didn't remember what only that it was trivial. McCormick was now in the same place as those putrid Longbottoms. It was to teach his loyals a lesson, and it had most certainly worked.

"_Elimina"_ Lucius knocked the door off its hinges.

The Grangers jumped, startled at the sound of their door landing on the wooden floor. Lisa grabbed her husband's hand.

"Avada Kedavra"

Hermione had been waiting at the train station for about 20 minutes after tripping off the train into a gray pile of slush. She went to phone her parents, nobody picked up. Hermione started to worry. "They probably just forgot the date, yeah, that's it," Hermione reassured herself while waving for a taxi.

Hermione arrived at home to find an iridescent green skull with a snake crawling in its mouth above her home. "Oh God," the meaning of finding the dark mark above her house in the gray sky registered in her mind. "I'm sorry Hermione, we were too late," Hermione woke out of her reverie as McGonagall talked to her and noticed the members of the Order running around her house. Hermione ran towards her house, it had to be someone's idea of a joke, a sick joke, a really sick joke right? She tripped over the steps leading to the door. Well, it wasn't a dream, her knee burned as blood oozed from the fresh cut marking her body. She ran through what had been the door, it had been blown in, to her parents' bodies lying on the floor, the Christmas tree an ironic backdrop to their corpses. Someone had the decency to close her parents now empty eyes. She felt the tears slide down her cheeks as she noticed her parents had been holding hands as they died.

"I'm sorry Hermione," Minerva caught up with the girl to see her face wet with tears. Minerva wrapped her arms around Hermione and dragged her outside as she herself felt the fresh onslaught of tears trickling down her face.


End file.
